


The Best We Can Be

by brokenpromisesandhope



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute Kids, F/M, Flirting, Humor, Kid Fic, Single Parents, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 12:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16387805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenpromisesandhope/pseuds/brokenpromisesandhope
Summary: Nancy and Steve meet at parenting class.





	The Best We Can Be

**Author's Note:**

> me: maybe if I post a backup fic no one will realize how bad I am at kinktober.   
> xx  
> T

The parenting help class was bullshit. There were perfect housewives complaining about their kids not liking almond milk or having to choose between ballet and karate, mothers who weren’t spending enough time with their kids, father who weren’t spending enough time with their kids, a mess. 

Nancy’d already felt like a mess and realized it wasn’t for her when she saw women in heels. She was putting the mess in hot mess today, wearing a pair of athletic leggings, and off the shoulder t-shirt, her hair in a messy bun. She was extremely aware of where she lived, but she wasn’t a stay at home mom who could wear white capris all day, and have someone else take care of her kid. 

She couldn’t wait to run out of the building, wanting to choke Maria for even suggesting this dumbass idea. She heads down the stairs to head towards the bus stop, her car is in the shop for two more days, when she hears a voice behind her, 

“Hey! Nancy right?” 

She turns around to see one of the more casually dressed men standing there, Steve if she remembers correctly,   
“Yes?” 

He runs down the steps to meet her. He’s got messy hair and tight skinny jeans on, wearing a plain white t-shirt. He’s cute. The kind of guy she’d definitely hook up with at a bar. You know if she went to bars and didn’t have a four year old. 

“That was bullshit, huh?” 

She nods,   
“No kidding. That was a mess.” 

“You mean your kid doesn’t hate everything your in home chef makes?” Steve asks, leaning against the railing. 

Nancy snorts, tucking a loose stand of her hair behind her ear,   
“My kid has a favorite Hamburger Helper.” 

Steve laughs hard at that, and Nancy feel her cheeks heat up, but feels better when he says,   
“Mine has a favorite Ramen Noodle flavor.” 

She scrunches her nose because that is gross, and Steve laughs, “Hey, I was only seventeen.” 

“Not an excuse, at least raise your standards to Chef Boyardee.” 

“I think I’m gonna like you. Wanna go grab a drink or something?” 

Nancy pulls out her phone. She supposes Holly could always stay a bit longer to babysit, and Steve is cute and funny. If nothing else, she’ll get a playdate out of it. For the kids dammit. 

“Yeah sure, lemme just call my sister and check on Charlie.” 

“No problem,” he says, walking a bit in front of her to give her some privacy. 

“Hey Holly, how’s it going?” She asks, when her sister picks up, “Good. We just ate dinner, Charlie’s gonna go play while I clean up.” 

“Good. Um, do you think you could stay a little later? Get Charlie off to bed?” 

“Sure, why? What’s going on?” 

“I made a friend at this class and we’re gonna go get drinks.” 

She can practically hear the eyebrow raise, 

“A friend?” 

“A friend,” Nancy says, trying to keep it short. 

“Male or female?” 

“Holly-”

“Oh my god. Yes. Of course. I love spending time with my nephew. Go get some!” 

“Holly I’m not-” 

“Gotta go! Have fun! Use protection!” 

“Fuck you!” Nancy says in the same singsong tone, but Holly’s already hung up. 

She rolls her eyes and ends the call, heading over to Steve, 

“You don’t have to tell your sitter you’ll be late?” 

“Sierra is with her mom.” 

“Oh?” Nancy asks, falling into step with him.   
“Yeah, it’s good for her to have a woman to look up to.” 

Nancy wants to pry for more information, but Steve doesn’t offer any, and she realizes she’s not exactly revealing any information about her dirtbag baby daddy either. 

“Maybe when I get you drunk you’ll tell me,” she says, teasingly nudging him. 

“Trying to get me drunk and take advantage?” Steve teases. 

“Oh absolutely.” 

 

It takes four beers for them to be tipsy. Okay, Steve is tipsy, Nancy is drunk. Steve is funny and charming, and a good dad. He and his baby mama, Tiffany were high school sweethearts. He was captain of the football team and she was a cheerleader and she’d gotten pregnant at sixteen. They’d tried to stay together but it didn’t work and he was more committed to Sierra then she was. She got hooked on drugs right after she gave birth, her staying in high school, while he dropped out to raise Sierra. She’d finally gotten sober about seven months ago, and after her parents pushed her to go to court, Steve had no choice but to allow Sierra to go to her house one night a week. Sierra was seven, and while she was a total daddy’s girl, she did need to be around other women, especially a mother figure. 

Steve worked at his dad’s realty company while he took online classes at the community college. He owned his own car, and stayed in a house on the north side of town. He was funny, and sweet and insisted on buying all of Nancy’s drinks. He listened as she told him her own story. She’d at least made it to her sophomore year of college before fucking a dumbass rich boy, who’d written her a check for $500 and told her to fuck off when she tore it up in front of his Steve says, tilting face. So it was just her and Charlie, her little monkey, and it had been for awhile. She lived in an apartment and was a receptionist at the High School. Steve listened as she loudly and drunkenly showed him pictures of Charlie, and she had hundreds. 

She shows him a favorite picture of them, both of their blue eyes wide, with towels wrapped around their heads, hair wet from their bath, 

“He looks like you,” Steve says, looking down at Nancy. 

“Oh really?” 

“Yes. Gorgeous,” he leans in to kiss her but before their lips can touch, her phone starts chiming loudly. 

He pulls back in shock and she digs into her purse with a roll of her eyes,   
“Birth control,” she pulls out the pack and swallows a pill with a beer, before turning to him, “Very important.” 

He smirks, “No shit.” 

“I should probably get home,” she says reluctantly. 

Steve frowns but nods,   
“Me too. But I’d love to do this again.” 

Nancy sighs,   
“Look Steve, this was fun but, this was rare. My sister’s in high school and busy, and I don’t really have extra money to be paying her, so. I’m sorry.” 

“We could do it with the kids,” Steve insists. 

Nancy hesitates,   
“I don’t usually-“ 

Steve touches her arm,  
“I really wanna get to know you better. Please. I have a swing set in my backyard, and Sierra has more toys than she could ever need. I’ll even make you guys hamburger helper.” 

Nancy smiles at that,   
“Charlie’s favorite is the beef stroganoff.” 

“Good taste.”

“He gets it from his mama,” she says, handing him her phone. 

He puts in his number, and requests her an Uber as well,   
“He sure does. Well, I’ll call you and we can set up a night?” 

She smiles,   
“Make it a date.” 

He leans down and gives her a soft kiss. His lips are soft and his jaw is stubbly and Nancy hasn’t kissed anyone in so long. She pulls his hair slightly and he breaks away, trying to calm his racing heart, 

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too.”


End file.
